The Excellency of Christ

By JONATHAN EDWARDS.

“And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain.”—Rev. v. 5, 6.

The visions and revelations the apostle John had of the future events of God’s providence, are here introduced with a vision of the book of God’s decrees, by which these events were fore-ordained. This is so represented (verse 2) as a book in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne: “written within, and on the back side, and sealed with seven seals.”

Books in the form in which they were wont of old to be made, were broad leaves of parchment or paper, or something of that nature, joined together at one edge, and so rolled up together, and then sealed, or some way fastened together, to prevent their unfolding, and opening. Hence we read of the roll of a book (Jer. xxxvi. 2). It seems to have been such a book that John had a vision of here; and therefore it is said to be “written within and on the back side,” i.e., on the inside pages and also on one of the outside pages, viz., that which was rolled in, in rolling the book up together. And it is said to be “sealed with seven seals,” to signify that what was written in it was perfectly hidden and secret; or that God’s decrees of future events are sealed, and shut up from all possibility of being discovered by creatures till God is pleased to make them known. We find that seven is often used in Scripture as the number of perfection, to signify the superlative or the most perfect degree of anything; which probably arose from this, that on the seventh day God beheld the work of creation finished, and rested and rejoiced in them, as being complete and perfect.

When John saw this book, he tells us, he saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in the earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.” And that he wept much, because “no man was found worthy to open and read the book; neither to look thereon.” And then he tells us how his tears were dried up, viz., “that one of the elders said unto him, weep not: behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed,” and as in the text, “Though no man nor angel, nor any mere creature, was found either able to loose the seals, or worthy to be admitted to the privilege of reading the book;” yet this was declared for the comfort of this beloved disciple, that Christ was both able and worthy.

And we have an account in the succeeding chapters how He actually did it, opening the seals in order, first one, and then another, revealing what God had decreed should come to pass hereafter. And we have an account in this chapter of His coming and taking the book out of the right hand of Him that sat on the throne, and of the joyful praises that were sung to Him in heaven and earth on that occasion. Many things might be observed in the words of the text; but it is to my present purpose only to take notice of the two distinct appellations here given to Christ.

I. He is called a Lion. Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He seems to be called the Lion of the tribe of Judah, in allusion to what Jacob said in his blessings of the tribes on his death-bed; who, when he came to bless Judah, compares him to a lion. Gen. xlix. “Judah is a Lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion: who shall rouse him up?” And also to the standard of the camp of Judah in the wilderness, on which was displayed a lion, according to the ancient tradition of the Jews. It is much on account of the valiant acts of David that the tribe of Judah, of which David was, is in Jacob’s prophetic blessing compared to a lion, but more especially with an eye to Jesus Christ is here called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.”

II. He is called a Lamb. John was told of a Lion that had prevailed to open the book, and probably expected to see a lion in his vision; but while he is expecting, behold a Lamb appears to open the book, an exceeding diverse kind of creature from a lion. The lion is a devourer; one that is wont to make terrible slaughter on others; and no creature more easily falls a prey to him than a lamb. And Christ is here represented not only as a Lamb, a creature very liable to be slain, but a “Lamb as it had been slain,” that is, with the marks of its deadly wounds appearing on it. That which I would observe from the words, for the subject of my present discourse, is this, viz.: “There is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ.” The lion and the lamb, though very diverse kinds of creatures, yet have each their peculiar excellencies. The lion excels in strength, and in the majesty of his appearance and voice. The lamb excels in meekness and patience, beside the excellent nature of the creature as good for food, and yielding that which is fit for clothing, and being suitable to be offered in sacrifice to God. But we see that Christ is in the text compared to both: because the diverse excellencies of both wonderfully meet in Him.

In handling this subject I would, first, shew wherein there is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ. Secondly, how this admirable conjunction of excellencies appears in Christ’s acts, and then make application.

First, I would shew wherein there is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ, which appears in three things:

1. There is a conjunction of such excellencies in Christ, as, in our manner of conceiving, are very diverse one from another.

2. There is in Him a conjunction of such really diverse excellencies, as otherwise would have seemed to us utterly incompatible in the same subject.

3. Such diverse excellencies are exercised in Him towards men that otherwise would seem impossible to be exercised towards the same subject.

I. There is a conjunction of such excellencies in Christ, as in our manner of conceiving, are very diverse from one another. Such are the various divine perfections and excellencies that Christ is possessed of. Christ is a divine person; and, therefore, has all the attributes of God. The difference between these is chiefly relative, and in our manner of conceiving them. And those which in this sense, are most diverse, meet in the person of Christ.

1. There do meet in Jesus Christ infinite highness, and infinite condescension. Christ, as He is God, is infinitely great and high above all. He is higher than the kings of the earth; for He is King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is higher than the heavens, and higher than the highest angel in heaven. So great is He, that all men, all kings and princes, are as worms of the dust before Him; all nations are as the drop of the bucket, and the light dust of the balance; yea, and angels themselves are as nothing before Him. He is so high, that He is infinitely above any need of us; above our reach, that we cannot be profitable to Him; and above our conceptions, that we cannot comprehend Him. Prov. xxx. 4: “What is His name, and what is His son’s name, if thou canst tell?” Our understandings, if we stretch them ever so far, cannot

reach up to His divine glory. Job xi. 8: “It is high as heaven, what canst thou do?” Christ is the Creator and great possessor of heaven and earth. He is the sovereign Lord of all. He rules over the whole universe, and doth whatsoever pleaseth Him. His knowledge is without bounds; His wisdom is perfect, and what none can circumvent. His power is infinite, and none can resist Him. His riches are immense and inexhaustible. His majesty is infinitely awful. And yet He is one of infinite condescension. None is so low or inferior, but Christ’s condescension is sufficient to take a gracious notice of them. He condescends not only to the angels, humbling Himself to behold the things that are done in heaven, but He also condescends to such poor creatures as men: and that not only so as to take notice of princes and great men, but of those that are of meanest rank and degree, “the poor of the world” (James ii. 5). Such as are commonly despised by their fellow-creatures, Christ does not despise. I. Cor. i. 28: “Base things of the world, and things that are despised, hath God chosen.” Christ condescends to take notice of beggars (Luke xvi. 22) and people of the most despised nations. In Christ Jesus there is neither “Barbarian, Seythian, bond nor free” (Col. iii. 11). He that is thus high, condescends to take a gracious notice of little children. Matt. xix. 14: “Suffer little children to come unto me.” Yea, which is more, His condescension is sufficient to take a gracious notice of the most unworthy, sinful creatures, those that have no good deservings, and those that have infinite ill-deservings.

Yea, so great is the condescension, that it is not only sufficient to take some gracious notice of such as these, but sufficient for everything that is an act of condescension. His condescension is great enough to become their friend; to become their companion, to unite their souls to Him in spiritual marriage. It is enough to take their nature upon Him, to become one of them, that He may be one with them.

Yea, it is great enough to abase Himself yet lower for them, even to expose Himself to shame and spitting; yea, to yield up Himself to an ignominious death for them. And what act of condescension can be conceived of greater? Yet such an act as this, has His condescension yielded to for those that are so low and mean, despicable and unworthy! Such a conjunction of infinite highness and low condescension in the same person is admirable. We see, by manifold instances, what a tendency a high station has in men, to make them to be of quite a contrary disposition. If one worm be a little exalted above another, or having more dust, or a bigger dunghill, how much does he make of himself! What a ‘distance does he keep from those that are below him! And a little condescension is what he expects should be made much of, and greatly acknowledged. Christ condescends to wash our feet; but how would great men (or rather the bigger worm) account themselves debased by acts of far less condescension!

1. There meet in Jesus Christ, infinite justice, and infinite grace. As Christ is a divine Person, He is infinitely holy and just; hating sin, and disposed to execute condign punishment for sin. He is the Judge of the world, and the infinitely just Judge of it, and will not at all acquit the wicked, or by any means clear the guilty. And yet He is infinitely gracious and merciful. Though His justice be so strict with

respect to all sin, and every breach of the law, yet He has grace sufficient for every sinner, and even the chief of sinners. And it is not only sufficient for the most unworthy to shew them mercy, and bestow some good upon them, but to bestow the greatest good; yea, it is sufficient to bestow all good upon them, and to do all things for them. There is no benefit or blessing that they can receive, so great but the grace of Christ is sufficient to bestow it on the greatest sinner that ever lived. And not only so, but so great is His grace, that nothing is too much as the means of this good. It is sufficient to do great things, but also to suffer in order to it; and not only to suffer, but to suffer most extremely, even unto death, the most terrible of natural evils; and not only death, but the most ignominious and tormenting and every way the most terrible that men could inflict; yea, and greater suffering than men could inflict, who could only torment the body. He had suffered in His soul, that were the immediate fruits of the wrath of God against the sins of those He undertakes for.